Support assembly for card member having a memory element disposed thereupon

Abstract

A support assembly, and associated method, for permitting a reduced-sized, card member to be received by a standard-sized, card reader assembly of a radio telephone. The support assembly is comprised of a frame formed of a standard-sized, card member having a through-hole extending therethrough. The through-hole is of dimensions corresponding to the card member of the reduced dimensions. A thin, support sheet covers a portion of an opening formed by the through-hole on a top surface of the frame to form a front joist thereby, and the thin, support sheet is folded about an edge of the frame similarly to form a rear joist over an opening formed upon a bottom face surface of the frame by the through-hole. The front joist and the rear joist together form a pocket for supporting the card member of the reduced dimensions within the through-hole. Once the card member of the reduced dimensions is inserted within the through-hole, the support assembly may be inserted into a card reader assembly constructed to be operative to receive the standard-sized card member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A support assembly for supporting an electrical circuit disposed upon a card wafer, the card wafer of outer perimetal dimensions and the electrical circuit having coupling electrodes disposed upon a face surface of the card wafer, said support assembly comprising: a frame formed of a card member defining a front face surface and a rear face surface, and having a through-hole, defined by opposing inner sidewalls of opposing side portions of the card member, extending at least a portion of the distance between the front face surface and the rear face surface of the card member thereby to form an opening upon at least the front face surface of the card member, the opposing side portions of the card member together defining an inner perimeter, the inner perimeter having dimensions sized according to the outer perimetal dimensions of the card wafer sufficient to permit positioning of the card wafer within the through-hole such that the face surface of the card wafer upon which the coupling electrodes are formed is positioned at the front face surface of the card member, wherein the through-hole extends between the top face surface and the bottom face surface, thereby also to form an opening upon the bottom face surface of the card member;   a front joist positioned upon the front face surface of the card member forming said frame, the front joist for covering at least a portion of the opening formed upon the front face surface by the through-hole extending through the card member and for supporting, thereby, the card wafer in position when positioned within the through-hole wherein the front joist further comprises a slotted opening formed to extend therethrough, the slotted opening extending through a portion of the front joist positioned over at least one of the opening defined by the through-hole thereby to permit insertion of the card member therethrough to position the card wafer within the through-hole; and   a rear joist positioned upon the rear face surface of the card member forming the frame, the rear joist for covering at least a portion of the opening formed upon the rear face surface by the through-hole extending through the card member, wherein the front joist and the rear joist together form a pocket to support the card wafer in position within the through-hole, wherein the rear joist further comprises an aperture formed to extend therethrough at a portion of the rear joist positioned over the opening upon the rear face surface of the card member, said aperture for permitting application of a removal force to be applied to the card wafer when positioned within the through-hole.   
     
     
       2. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein the card member forming said frame is of a thickness essentially equal to a corresponding thickness of the card wafer. 
     
     
       3. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner perimeter defined by the opposing side portions of the card member forms an essentially rectangular configuration. 
     
     
       4. The support assembly of claim 3 wherein the inner perimeter forming the essentially rectangular configuration further comprises a notched corner portion. 
     
     
       5. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein the front joist further comprises an opening extending therethrough, the opening extending through the front joist at a portion of the front joist positioned over the opening defined by the through-hole extending through the card member such that, when the card wafer is positioned within the through-hole, the electrodes formed upon the face surface of the card wafer, are positioned at the opening extending through the front joist. 
     
     
       6. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein the front joist is comprised of a fiat, support sheet. 
     
     
       7. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein the front joist is comprised of a fiat, support sheet. 
     
     
       8. The support assembly of claim 7 wherein the rear joist is comprised of a fiat support sheet. 
     
     
       9. The support assembly of claim 8 wherein the front and rear joists, respectively, are comprised of a single support sheet having a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion of the single support sheet comprises the front joist and the second portion of the single support sheet comprises the rear joist, and wherein the single support sheet is folded over an edge surface of the card member forming the frame. 
     
     
       10. In the radiotelephone assembly having transmitter and receiver circuitry and a standard-sized, card-receiving apparatus housing within a housing, including the standard-sized, card-receiving apparatus for receiving a memory element disposed upon a standard-sized card member at a support position therein such that, when the standard-sized card member is positioned at the support position, electrical contacts disposed within the card-receiving apparatus contact with corresponding contacts connected to the memory element, a combination with the standard-sized, card-receiving apparatus a support structure for supporting a memory element disposed upon a reduced-sized card member of outer perimetal dimensions to permit reception of the reduced-sized card member by the standard-sized card receiving apparatus, said support structure comprising: a frame of perimetal dimensions corresponding to perimetal dimensions of a standard-sized, card member and defining a front face surface and a rear face surface, and having a through-hole, defined by opposing inner sidewalls of opposing side portions, extending a least a portion of the distance between the front face surface and the rear face surface thereby to form an opening upon at least the front face surface, the opposing side portions together defining an inner perimeter, the inner perimeter having dimensions sized according to the outer perimetal dimensions of the reduced-sized card member sufficient to permit positioning of the reduced-sized card member within the through-hole such that a face surface of the reduced-sized card member upon which the contacts are formed is positioned at the front face surface; and   a front joist positioned upon the front face surface of the frame, the front joist for covering at least a portion of the opening formed upon the front face surface by the through-hole extending through the frame and for supporting, thereby, the reduced-sized card member in position when positioned within the through-hole.   
     
     
       11. In the radiotelephone assembly of claim 10, a further combination with the standard-sized card-receiving apparatus of means for maintaining the frame in a desired proximity to the standard-sized, card-receiving apparatus. 
     
     
       12. In the radiotelephone assembly of claim 11, the combination with the standard-sized, card receiving apparatus wherein said means for maintaining comprises a flexible cord, wherein the flexible cord is coupled at a first side thereof to the frame and affixed at a second side thereof at a location maintained in a fixed relation to the standard-sized, card-receiving apparatus. 
     
     
       13. In the radiotelephone assembly of claim 12, the combination with the standard-sized, card-receiving portal for receiving the first side of the flexible cord.